Transport Network & Tourist Ticket
As with very European cities I have ventured into so far, the transport network is well integrated from suburb and airport(s) into the main city centre. There are mainland trains, undergrounds, buses, trams, taxis, etc. There is a form of transport(s) to get you from A to B within the walls of the city, and they pretty much run late.
Upon arrival, recommendation will be to get yourself to the tourist information desk and get yourself a travel ticket (referred to as Berlin Welcome Card). Did pick up 72 hrs unlimited travel card for €24.90 covering zone A, B and C, and covers all transport mode (except one of the special trains). This travel ticket also gives you an average of 25% (to some extent 50%) in participating museums and place of interests.
If your entry and exit route is via Berlin-Schonefeld airport, then you will need a zone C travel ticket as that is the area the airport is based. There is an Airport express train (such as the Gatwick express) to the main centre (Alexanderplatz or Friedrichstr). Berlin airport express is more cheaper compared to that of London.
The train stations do not have ticket barriers when entering or exiting. Will be nice to know how many fare dodgers they have, and how much the city transport network loose as a result (if any).
You can get latest information about the transport network from the visit Berlin website
Perspective, observations and facts
Here are some good pointers noticed during my visit to Berlin:
- Population of the city is about 3.5m hence if you visit from a more populous city like London (est pop of 7.8m), then it feels a bit empty.
- The Germans are noticeably taller than average people I have come across, which is more noticeably seen in women. Based on data from wikipedia, average height of men is 5ft 10in for men, and 5ft 5 1/2in for women, which is about 1.54% and 2.1% for men and women respectively taller when compared to the English residents in the United Kingdom.
- Perhaps it's because my visit was during the winter season, but noticed that the women in Berlin love wearing trousers, especially jeans, and rocking it with some form of boots. As my travel buddy quoted "there is a rock chick look about them".
- Sense the Germans love to make sandwiches, as I saw on several occasions that people eat home made ones on the tubes and trains (guess if you do that on the Hong Kong tube, you will get a huge fine).
- According to the city guide, there were over 60 German markets dotted round the city. Of course it will be rude not to have German sausage at the market.
- The Germans do like Chinese, as they were loads of them about.
- Toilets in the public spaces such as coffee shops, airports, train stations, do have inner doors separating the toilets (where you do your business) from that where you wash your hands. I am yet to understand why that is.
- The museums are more interactive and actually encourage people to touch, compare to London.
- The food here are more cheaper than Paris, and transport fares cheaper than that of London.
Below are quick overview of the major landmarks, museums and places of special interests visited during the trip.
- DDR: one of the few museums that actually opens on a Monday in Berlin, and the most interactive one in the world as it actually encourages you to interact with the exhibitions, giving you hands-on experience of history. The museum focuses on the life of Socialism encountered during the past German era. It is directly opposite the Berlin Cathedral. Ticket fee is €4.50 (based on discount after showing Berlin Welcome card ticket). The nearest station is Hackesher Markt, which on the S3, S5, S7, and S75 line.
- Check Point Charlie (aka Check Point C): the famous wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during. This was also the point where the US and Soviet tanks confronted each other in 1961. Replica of the post is there as a tourist attraction, the prime spot costs €2 to take a picture at. Nearest stations are the Stadtmitte (U2) or Kochstr (U6)
- Fassbender & Rausch: am not a chocolate fan, but perspective did change slightly when I visited this spot, it's a like a fat kid let loose in a cake shop. Everything and anything in chocolate is here, guess that's why it is described as the bigest chocolate house in the world. The experience is like have William Curley in Harrods, only 1,000,000 times better. The shop is located on Charlottenstraße 60, Stadtmitte (U2) is the nearest underground station.
- Judisches Museum: (In English, Jewish Museum). of course the story of the Nazi's won't be complete if you don't know and appreciate the story of the Jews, hence reason this will be a recommendation to visit. You don't have to be a Jew (or religious for that matter) to really appreciate this place. Learning within Judaism is regarded as "the greatest good" compare to family background or wealth. You might also get to know the story behind Jeans company (Levi Strauss) if you pay attention. Hopefully once you finally do the tour, you will share the same view as me not to underestimate the Jews. You will need a good 3hrs for the walkthrough, and even longer if you want more insight knowledge. My favourite installation remains "Holocaust Tower", part of the "memory void" installations. Ticket fee was €3.50 (based on discount after showing Berlin Welcome card ticket). The museum is located at Lindenstraße, and the nearest is Kochstraße (U6).
- Brandenburg Gate: One of the famous landmarks in the city, that keeps popping up in very Berlin history books. The nearest station is Branden-burger Tor (S2 and S25). Once you come out of the station, please keep your eye out for the famous Hotel Adlon (used by the Nazi's back in the days), now modeled as a 5 star luxury hotel.
- Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas: The Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial, which took 17 years to build. Designed by US architect Peter Eisenmann. Bizarrely, the United States Embassy is just opposite it, and Dunkin Donuts is to the left of the memorial spot. It is open 24 x 7, and visitors can walk through the maze at their own pace. It;s about 7 mins walk from the Brandenburg gate.
- Bundenstag: Home of the German national Parliament, and a walking distance from the Brandenburg gate. Based on the German constitution of openness, the public are allowed to seat in and watch debates (very hard to get a seat though, as people book well in advance). The transformation of the building was by Norman Foster (same architect responsible for 8 Canada Square and Swiss Re Building in London), and I must say what a "piece of parliamentary artistic building". The general public are allowed to visit the "Bundenstag Dome", and you can visit even when the parliament is in session. To visit the dome, you need to register in advance, giving name of people in your party and time of visit, please do remember to take the email confirmation you will get after successfully making the booking.
- Burgermeister: a recommendation from a website, which I must say lived up to expectation. You might probably feel sick from eating McDonald after eating what Burgermeister have in stock for you. The story is that it is located in a former public toilet (ok, trust me, it will be the best burger from an old toilet you will ever eat). if it's two of you, then you can share one Potatoe wedges (please take the sour cream with it, as it has this cooling sensation). The burger are huge with an average price of about €3.50. I went for the BBQ burger which came with bacon by default, yum yum. You can thank me later (sorry I didn't pay attention if there was a vegetarian menu, you probably turn meat eater after visiting the place any way). This eating spot is located at Oberbaumstrasse 8, and the nearest train station is Schlesisches Tor( U1).
- Meseum fur Naturkunde: Evolution in Action, Cosmos and Solar System, System Earth, Minerals, Human Evolution, Fossils, World of Dinosaurs, are some of the themes in flight when I visited. Found the minerals section very exciting as they had more than 1000 different types on display. The Museum is also very big on taxidermy, and they go as far as displaying the preparation techniques. Ticket fee was €3.50 (based on discount after showing Berlin Welcome card ticket). Find your way to the Naturkunde museum (U6) underground station, and ensure you exit from the correct point, there is sufficient signage outside to guide you.
- Hamburger Bahnhof Museum: Was amazed by the CLOUD CITIES installation by Tomas Saraceno, as it was Germany, you can interact with the installations. According to the background, the cloud stands as a metaphor for a set of artistic aims that examine the meaning of territory, boundary and change in our urban society. The museum itself is huge, hence you need at least a good 3 hrs to go through it all. Seems space is not an issue in Berlin for this museums, as the space available for each installations are abundant. It's only about 10-15 mins walk from Museum fur Naturkunde. An adult ticket cost €12.00 (but a 50% discount for students).
